Shadow box



Jan. 22, 1935.

J. J. WOLF snAnow BOX 7 Filed May 18, 1934 ZSnnentor Patented Jan. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to improvements in shadow boxes for the purpose of trans-illuminating pictures, signs, and the like, and has for an object toprovide an improved shadow box capable of folding whereby it may take up small space in transportation, and may be carried about conveniently.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved shadow box of inexpensive material and workmanship susceptible of being knocked down to assume a fiat condition, but being stable and rigid in the erect operative position.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claim appended hereto.

In the drawing, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank from which the improved shadow box is made.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the improved shadow box in erect operative position.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a front view in the collapsed condition, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a slight modification.

Referring more particularly to Figure 1, the device may be cut out of cardboard, or other appropriate material, to produce a front wall 5 having a large rectangular opening 6 therein, against which the pictures, signs, and the like may be placed. Connected by a crease hinge 7 to the upper edge of the front wall 5 is a rear wall 8 preferably having longitudinal side edges converging downwardly or away'from the front wall. In this back wall is an opening 9 through which the lamp 10 is let.

The bottom is indicated at 11, the same being connected by a crease hinge 12 with the lower narrowest part of the rear wall 8. The bottom flares out oppositely to the rear wall 8, or in other words, the side edges of the bottom 11 diverge in a forward direction. At the front free widest edge portion of the bottom 11 is a flap 13 folded along the line 14 to permit of its being turned up to fit within the lower edge portion of the front wall 5, as shown in Figure 3.

Sides are also provided, which may or may not be in one piece with the blank of the box. Such sides are composed of large triangular sections 15 hinged to the vertical edges 16 of the front wall 5 and foldable rearwardly therefrom; and said sides also include the smaller triangular sections 17 connected by the crease hinge 18 which folds in an opposite sense from that of the crease hinge 16. In other words, the section 15 folds rearwardly with respect to the front section 5 but the section 17 is folded forwardly with respect to the section 15 along the crease hinge 13, which fold is shown more clearly in Figure 4, whereby to enable the side walls to fit to the desired extent within the confines of the box, to the end that the lower edges of the side wall sections 15 and 17 may rest upon the bottom wall 11, and the rear free edges of the smaller side wall sections 17 may contact with the back wall 8.

These side walls exclude light and the entire box is preferably of an opaque material, so that light rays will issue only through the opening 6 and illuminate the picture, sign or other device placed there. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the flap 13 is turned upwardly in a substantially vertical position within the lower part of the front wall 5. It may be attached to the front wall in any appropriate manner although attachment is not necessary. The side walls are so creased as to make it possible to fold up the box by the collapse of the sections 15 and 17 upon one another and the virtual collapse of the front and rear walls together. In this condition as shown in Figures 1 and 4, the bottom walls 11 and the fiap 13 are brought in a straight condition over in front of the front wall 5.

Referring more particularly to Figure 5, this figure shows a slight modification in which the .folded sides 15a and 17a are made from a different material from the remainder of the box. Such boxes are ordinarily made of such heavy material that it would be impracticable to fold the same Without cracking. The sides 15a and 17a are thereforemade separately of such heavy paper stock as will admit of creasing and folding and such sides are mounted separately, there being, for instance, flanges 20, 21 on the side walls for pasting or otherwise securing the side walls to the front and back walls respectively.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claim.

What is claimed is:

An improved shadow box comprising a front wall having a substantially rectangular opening therein and inclining downwardly and forwardly, a rear wall hinged to the upper edge of the front wall and inclining downwardly and rearwardly, a bottom wall hinged to the rear wall and having a flap extending upwardly Within the lower portion of the front wall, and foldable side walls extending between the front and rear wall and resting upon said bottom.

JACOB JOSEPH.WOLF. 

